Misplaced Mage
Sep 18, 05:58 PM
There's no way to compare the two. Both IS-95 and GSM implement a variety of different codecs that are provided differently by different operators. In the area I live, Cingular (GSM) tries to force many phones to use something called AMR-HR, which has "acceptable" voice quality when you have good reception, and drops to barely incomprehensable with any deterioration in signal strength. T-Mobile (GSM) clearly doesn't, and I can talk and listen to someone with both of us sounding like we're on a landline with one bar of signal. On the same phone.
Likewise, Verizon (IS-95) uses some awful bitrate codec for its network where I live (I believe they're heavily oversubscribed here) where pretty much everyone sounds like they're dying from some serious lung problem, and Sprint PCS (IS-95 too) doesn't and generally the call quality, at medium to good reception, seems pretty much ok. Sub-landline, but not seriously so.
Verizon and Sprint have used EVRC (Enhanced Variable Rate Codec) for several years now. EVRC, in turn, replaced QCELP (a.k.a. Qualcomm PureVoice). Down the road we should see EVRC replaced by SMV (Selectable Mode Vocoder), 4GV (Qualcomm's Fourth Generation Vocoder), or VMR-WB.
With the variety of voice codecs the operators use, you can't really make a fair judgement merely on the basis of network technology. Either the operator's cheap, or it isn't. IS-95 was chosen by many networks on the basis that it's spectrum efficient (ie it's cheap), but on the other hand Sprint PCS was always content with call drops when I used it to handle network overloading rather than seriously compromising on call quality. Cingular's move to GSM has caused problems in that it's using a significantly less spectrum efficient technology than the technology it replaced, so Cingular's had to, in many places, hopefully temporarily, use the crappy half-rate codecs to boost capacity until it can get more towers online.
I wouldn't use voice quality as a way to judge the technologies.
Well said! People must understand that the codecs for digital phones in use today were originally designed to squeeze voice through a very narrow upstream pipe—typically 9.6kbps and under—resulting in different approaches to the problem of quality vs. bandwidth given the processing power available in phone chipsets at the time. Now that upstream data bandwidth and portable processing power are becoming less of a problem, we should start hearing improvements as newer codecs are adopted by the carriers in the phones they sell their customers. And I'm sure they'll trumpet the fact when they do. :D
Likewise, Verizon (IS-95) uses some awful bitrate codec for its network where I live (I believe they're heavily oversubscribed here) where pretty much everyone sounds like they're dying from some serious lung problem, and Sprint PCS (IS-95 too) doesn't and generally the call quality, at medium to good reception, seems pretty much ok. Sub-landline, but not seriously so.
Verizon and Sprint have used EVRC (Enhanced Variable Rate Codec) for several years now. EVRC, in turn, replaced QCELP (a.k.a. Qualcomm PureVoice). Down the road we should see EVRC replaced by SMV (Selectable Mode Vocoder), 4GV (Qualcomm's Fourth Generation Vocoder), or VMR-WB.
With the variety of voice codecs the operators use, you can't really make a fair judgement merely on the basis of network technology. Either the operator's cheap, or it isn't. IS-95 was chosen by many networks on the basis that it's spectrum efficient (ie it's cheap), but on the other hand Sprint PCS was always content with call drops when I used it to handle network overloading rather than seriously compromising on call quality. Cingular's move to GSM has caused problems in that it's using a significantly less spectrum efficient technology than the technology it replaced, so Cingular's had to, in many places, hopefully temporarily, use the crappy half-rate codecs to boost capacity until it can get more towers online.
I wouldn't use voice quality as a way to judge the technologies.
Well said! People must understand that the codecs for digital phones in use today were originally designed to squeeze voice through a very narrow upstream pipe—typically 9.6kbps and under—resulting in different approaches to the problem of quality vs. bandwidth given the processing power available in phone chipsets at the time. Now that upstream data bandwidth and portable processing power are becoming less of a problem, we should start hearing improvements as newer codecs are adopted by the carriers in the phones they sell their customers. And I'm sure they'll trumpet the fact when they do. :D
roadbloc
May 3, 10:15 AM
Does anything use Thunderbolt yet? Will anything ever?
fishcove
May 3, 10:25 AM
Who has room for two external displays on a desk that already has a 27" iMac?! Dual outs on the MBP would make much more sense, although achieving it may be more of a technical challenge in terms of GPU power.
I'm thinking of a 3-monitor gaming/sim setup. No desk - think cockpit.
I'm thinking of a 3-monitor gaming/sim setup. No desk - think cockpit.
Apple Shmapple
Sep 12, 04:19 PM
I have a 30 GB video already, but these new ones look good to me. I think I will have ordered one by the end of the week.
Why in the name of all that's holy would you replace your current 30 gig with the "new" 30 gig? You'll end up paying $100 for a search function and a slightly brighter screen. Wow.
Why in the name of all that's holy would you replace your current 30 gig with the "new" 30 gig? You'll end up paying $100 for a search function and a slightly brighter screen. Wow.
Dmac77
Apr 24, 11:54 PM
Sorry, but I'm not. I try and avoid idiots on the highway. But why do I get the feeling that you are going to tell me that driving 90+ is perfectly safe cause you are such a wonderful driver.:rolleyes:
Because I am going to. I'm a completely safe driver (even when doing 90 or above) until I run into some dunderhead who has to enforce the speed limit themselves. Had that woman just moved like everyone else did, I would have never had to cut her off in order to punish her. And yes I did have to punish her, because she needed to be taught her dang place on the road.
EDIT: @adk - yes I am 16, however in this situation my mother was in the car and actually encouraged me to cut the idiot off. So it's not just an age based thing.
-Don
Because I am going to. I'm a completely safe driver (even when doing 90 or above) until I run into some dunderhead who has to enforce the speed limit themselves. Had that woman just moved like everyone else did, I would have never had to cut her off in order to punish her. And yes I did have to punish her, because she needed to be taught her dang place on the road.
EDIT: @adk - yes I am 16, however in this situation my mother was in the car and actually encouraged me to cut the idiot off. So it's not just an age based thing.
-Don
alent1234
Apr 22, 08:06 AM
You'll go nutz in couple decades when our CPU's aren't even in our homes anymore. Start to get used to the idea of "cloud" slowly :)
not going to happen
the entire history of computing is giving more power to more people. the cloud has always been there, even with the first PC's. but the trend is to give more features to less powerful devices
not going to happen
the entire history of computing is giving more power to more people. the cloud has always been there, even with the first PC's. but the trend is to give more features to less powerful devices
jaw04005
Nov 23, 12:34 PM
Airfoil Speakers Touch 1.0.2 is out. It restores the computer artwork. Apple finally did the right thing.
http://www.rogueamoeba.com/utm/2009/11/23/airfoil-speakers-touch-1-0-2-is-now-available/
Looks like Apple admitted it was in the wrong.
http://www.rogueamoeba.com/utm/2009/11/23/airfoil-speakers-touch-1-0-2-is-now-available/
Looks like Apple admitted it was in the wrong.
jonhaxor
Mar 30, 12:23 PM
No one refers to McDonald's as Burger Store. Their brand name is so strong that people actually say McDonald's because that logo and name is pretty much seared into everyone head.
i do .. it's kinda catchy .. my 2yo calls it "old mcdonalds" because of .. you know .. that song
language is use .. didn't we learn anything from Wittgenstein?
i do .. it's kinda catchy .. my 2yo calls it "old mcdonalds" because of .. you know .. that song
language is use .. didn't we learn anything from Wittgenstein?
sinsin07
Mar 23, 06:14 PM
His counter point is supposed to be just as silly. That's his point.
No, that's your take on the point. My mileage varies.
No, that's your take on the point. My mileage varies.
Silencio
Oct 12, 01:18 PM
I'll probably come of sounding like a jerk and opening a HUGE can of worms with this, BUT...
I'm glad somebody else was thinking what I was thinking! Why do we constantly have to place a line between men and women, black and white, American and everyone else. If we actually want equality and unity and all those wonderful things, I think it's about time we stop dilineating between groups of people.
It can't be both ways... if women/minorities want equality in the work place, or government, or in society as a whole, there can't also be inequality in the world when it comes to things like this... men and women, black and white, straight and gay - they have to be equal across the board, or not at all. We can't have it both ways.
Maybe because all across the globe, women and children are hugely disadvantaged economically and socially in comparison to men? People who need more help should get more help. People who don't need help shouldn't complain about it. As much as I want it to happen, "equality" is never going to happen in this world, at least the way it's currently structured.
"Empathy" is a four-letter word in America, sadly.
I'm glad somebody else was thinking what I was thinking! Why do we constantly have to place a line between men and women, black and white, American and everyone else. If we actually want equality and unity and all those wonderful things, I think it's about time we stop dilineating between groups of people.
It can't be both ways... if women/minorities want equality in the work place, or government, or in society as a whole, there can't also be inequality in the world when it comes to things like this... men and women, black and white, straight and gay - they have to be equal across the board, or not at all. We can't have it both ways.
Maybe because all across the globe, women and children are hugely disadvantaged economically and socially in comparison to men? People who need more help should get more help. People who don't need help shouldn't complain about it. As much as I want it to happen, "equality" is never going to happen in this world, at least the way it's currently structured.
"Empathy" is a four-letter word in America, sadly.
zero2dash
Aug 28, 02:24 PM
They're competitive with the Mac Pro. Very competitive.
Mac Pro - you get a lot for the money. More pricey than most users are willing to spend, but unquestionably, "a lot of bang for the buck".
Still, my point is that Apple isn't trying to remain competitive in regards to grabbing sales or going outside of their niche market. Apple has diehard fans that will purchase whatever they sell, no matter what. They don't need to attempt to go outside of that faction because they'll have a hard time swaying general computer users who are used to Windows already or don't want to pay the premium price. Apple gives you a lot of computer for the price, but the price is still above and beyond what anyone else will charge you. Then it boils down to asking yourself "do you want to pay for the Apple experience" and some people say 'yes' and others say 'no'. For better or worse, I don't see this changing in the near future. Apple does sell competitively priced computers (ie Mini) but they're also limiting the user in regards to upgradability; I don't think anyone can argue the upgrade capabilities of a minitower or tower @ $500 versus a small form factor for $600. Can you upgrade Macs? For the most part, yes, undoubtedly. How far can you upgrade your Mac? That depends on how much you spent upfront on it, deciding between a SFF and a $1,999 Mac Pro tower.
I still love Macs and I enjoy working in OSX, but they really need to get on the 'headless Mac' idea, stat. IMO they could (seemingly overnight) gain at least a 10%+ market share if they released a tower desktop for $600, but that throws a monkey wrench into the rest of their hardware sku lineup, and they're not going to allow that to happen. Unless they kill off the Mini and slash prices on the iMac first, we'll never see a sub-$1,000 Mac in a tower enclosure.
Mac Pro - you get a lot for the money. More pricey than most users are willing to spend, but unquestionably, "a lot of bang for the buck".
Still, my point is that Apple isn't trying to remain competitive in regards to grabbing sales or going outside of their niche market. Apple has diehard fans that will purchase whatever they sell, no matter what. They don't need to attempt to go outside of that faction because they'll have a hard time swaying general computer users who are used to Windows already or don't want to pay the premium price. Apple gives you a lot of computer for the price, but the price is still above and beyond what anyone else will charge you. Then it boils down to asking yourself "do you want to pay for the Apple experience" and some people say 'yes' and others say 'no'. For better or worse, I don't see this changing in the near future. Apple does sell competitively priced computers (ie Mini) but they're also limiting the user in regards to upgradability; I don't think anyone can argue the upgrade capabilities of a minitower or tower @ $500 versus a small form factor for $600. Can you upgrade Macs? For the most part, yes, undoubtedly. How far can you upgrade your Mac? That depends on how much you spent upfront on it, deciding between a SFF and a $1,999 Mac Pro tower.
I still love Macs and I enjoy working in OSX, but they really need to get on the 'headless Mac' idea, stat. IMO they could (seemingly overnight) gain at least a 10%+ market share if they released a tower desktop for $600, but that throws a monkey wrench into the rest of their hardware sku lineup, and they're not going to allow that to happen. Unless they kill off the Mini and slash prices on the iMac first, we'll never see a sub-$1,000 Mac in a tower enclosure.
Mac Fly (film)
Sep 15, 09:30 PM
It's September. There's three months until Christmas. Apple wont wait that long around this time of year without holding another consumer based event. What will the event be about? Or more importantly, what products will be at this event? Well there will be one product, one major one. The iPhone�. It's coming, and my bet is, it's coming before Christmas.
THX1139
Jul 20, 01:49 PM
...Since Intel announced that their four core chips would be available in the last quarter there is another possibility now for Mac Pros: Just Conroe chips for the "low end" replacing the dual core G5s, and the quad core G5 remains the last PowerPC until it is replaced in the last quarter with a much cheaper quad core system based on Intel's Kentsfield quad core desktop chip. Depends on how urgent it is for Apple to finish the transition.
Better be careful. I posted a similar idea in another thread and got flamed by a couple antagonistic people who have limited vision and are knashing for Woodcrest. I'm in agreement with you. I think having Conroes in the middle and lowend to replace the currently shipping Powermacs is feasible for Apple. Keep the G5 Quad until Kentsfield and maybe introduce a 3.0 Quad Woodcrest on the high-end workstation model to start a new professional line?
I can see why folks are clamoring for Woodcrest, but to me it seems a bit weird for Apple to adopt a chipset for 6 months or less. With Kentsfield shipping at the end of the year, why bother with Woodcrest now? If they would have begun selling last month when they first came out it would have made more sense. Now I'm thinking Apple is going to hold off simply because they haven't announced anything. Woodcrest has been out for around a month now, if Apple is/was going to use them, what's the hold up? I think they have been waiting for Conroe, not WWDC.
Better be careful. I posted a similar idea in another thread and got flamed by a couple antagonistic people who have limited vision and are knashing for Woodcrest. I'm in agreement with you. I think having Conroes in the middle and lowend to replace the currently shipping Powermacs is feasible for Apple. Keep the G5 Quad until Kentsfield and maybe introduce a 3.0 Quad Woodcrest on the high-end workstation model to start a new professional line?
I can see why folks are clamoring for Woodcrest, but to me it seems a bit weird for Apple to adopt a chipset for 6 months or less. With Kentsfield shipping at the end of the year, why bother with Woodcrest now? If they would have begun selling last month when they first came out it would have made more sense. Now I'm thinking Apple is going to hold off simply because they haven't announced anything. Woodcrest has been out for around a month now, if Apple is/was going to use them, what's the hold up? I think they have been waiting for Conroe, not WWDC.
Platform
Sep 26, 08:58 AM
That artists rendition posted on the front page is pointless. It's not as though that is the actual design. It looks too Nano-ish, and even the Nano look has changed.
Anyway, I'm not excited about an iPhone. It would need to give me at least one neat feature for this to be worth drooling over.
antioxidants in the food.
Antioxidants in food
antioxidant-rich foods
the European Food Safety
Antioxidant Food - Green tea
Anyway, I'm not excited about an iPhone. It would need to give me at least one neat feature for this to be worth drooling over.
whiteboytrash
May 3, 10:46 AM
The trackpad option is awesome. Every bundled Apple mouse I've gotten for the past 15 years has gone straight in the trash. The only good mouse Apple ever made was the ADB II. At least now I get a free trackpad to play with! Cool!
Agreed. Trackpad is the only way to go.
The free trackpad option in place of the magic mouse has been offered in Apple Stores since December 2010. It has only been a verbal offer if the buyer requested it.
I bought my iMac this way and several friends recieved the same.
Agreed. Trackpad is the only way to go.
The free trackpad option in place of the magic mouse has been offered in Apple Stores since December 2010. It has only been a verbal offer if the buyer requested it.
I bought my iMac this way and several friends recieved the same.
Surely
Apr 4, 12:25 PM
I'm amazed that so many people are basing their judgment of the "head shot" on 3rd person shooter games and CSI. In the real world, anyone with training will always be aiming for the center of mass, and where he actually hits depends more on luck than anything else.
In other words, just because the criminal was hit in the head, doesn't mean that the security guard was aiming for his head. A mall security guard with a pistol shooting at a moving target during a gunfight doesn't have the accuracy of a Marine sniper shooting a sniper rifle at a stationary target.
+1
Especially when ~40 shots were exchanged in the gunfight. It sounds like the guard was shooting to save his own life.
In other words, just because the criminal was hit in the head, doesn't mean that the security guard was aiming for his head. A mall security guard with a pistol shooting at a moving target during a gunfight doesn't have the accuracy of a Marine sniper shooting a sniper rifle at a stationary target.
+1
Especially when ~40 shots were exchanged in the gunfight. It sounds like the guard was shooting to save his own life.
brad.c
Sep 13, 11:02 AM
I had ripped my Finding Nemo DVD so my daughter could watch on my 5G 60Gb iPod during a flight last month. I ripped them into individual chapters, and transferred them as sequential movies under a Finding Nemo video playlist. Worked great, except for the playback gap between chapters.
Now, with my MBP and my iPod fully updated, the gapless feature is selectable when the chapters are selected as a group, but not individually (Part of a gapless album is greyed out). And the gaps remain.
Not a biggie, but interesting nonetheless. Or am I that boring? (Rhetorically asked. Replies are redundantly unnecessary.)
Now, with my MBP and my iPod fully updated, the gapless feature is selectable when the chapters are selected as a group, but not individually (Part of a gapless album is greyed out). And the gaps remain.
Not a biggie, but interesting nonetheless. Or am I that boring? (Rhetorically asked. Replies are redundantly unnecessary.)
ChrisA
Sep 15, 06:48 PM
Apple being a California based company certainly must know about the new law just signed that prohibits hand held cell phone use while driving a car. (Reasonable law if you ask me) with this new law we can assume the phone will have some kind of "hands free" interface. It would be very hard to sell a high end phone that can't be used in a car in California. Apple must know this, the law has been in the works for some time.
AidenShaw
Sep 9, 09:02 PM
But I am pretty sure the newest developer tools can cope with that, considering that multicore chips are a rather new thing in the mainstream market...
Try the Processor Preferences app contained in the Apple CHUD tools, for instance...
Please explain - I have no idea what "that" is....
---
Regardless of the tool, however, it is usually much better to let the OS dynamically schedule threads across the cores. Unless the programmer has some reason to try to control this, the alternative is some resources (CPUs) being overcommitted, while other CPUs are idle.
It doesn't matter who has the better tools - it's usually better to let the OS decide microsecond by microsecond how best to schedule the CPUs, than to have the developer make those decisions at edit time.
I've used the SetProcessAffinityMask APIs fairly often, but it's always been for specific test or benchmark situations. I have a hard time thinking of a situation where a general application would want to statically control the scheduler - it's just "bad think" to even try. (Except for those weird-a$$ NUMA Opterons - you can be really scr3wed if you have to go through HyperTransport to get to memory. I check NUMA topology, and use affinity to keep the AMD architecture from killing me.)
Try the Processor Preferences app contained in the Apple CHUD tools, for instance...
Please explain - I have no idea what "that" is....
---
Regardless of the tool, however, it is usually much better to let the OS dynamically schedule threads across the cores. Unless the programmer has some reason to try to control this, the alternative is some resources (CPUs) being overcommitted, while other CPUs are idle.
It doesn't matter who has the better tools - it's usually better to let the OS decide microsecond by microsecond how best to schedule the CPUs, than to have the developer make those decisions at edit time.
I've used the SetProcessAffinityMask APIs fairly often, but it's always been for specific test or benchmark situations. I have a hard time thinking of a situation where a general application would want to statically control the scheduler - it's just "bad think" to even try. (Except for those weird-a$$ NUMA Opterons - you can be really scr3wed if you have to go through HyperTransport to get to memory. I check NUMA topology, and use affinity to keep the AMD architecture from killing me.)
cube
Apr 24, 07:00 AM
AMD E-350's CPU is noticeably worse than the C2Ds in MBAs. It is better than Atom but can't fight against Intel's premium CPUs, especially if we take Sandy Bridge into consideration. The IGP is wonderful though.
Llano will hopefully change this since Zacate is meant for netbook and other cheap laptops. Llano will hopefully bring low-voltage chips meant for ultraportables like MBA. So far there are no news though.
http://www.anandtech.com/show/4023/the-brazos-performance-preview-amd-e350-benchmarked
But one must not overhype Llano because it still uses a Stars+ core. Bulldozer Fusion is not coming until next year.
So, we'll see.
Llano will hopefully change this since Zacate is meant for netbook and other cheap laptops. Llano will hopefully bring low-voltage chips meant for ultraportables like MBA. So far there are no news though.
http://www.anandtech.com/show/4023/the-brazos-performance-preview-amd-e350-benchmarked
But one must not overhype Llano because it still uses a Stars+ core. Bulldozer Fusion is not coming until next year.
So, we'll see.
DavidCar
Jul 14, 12:36 PM
So how soon should I expect to see a Merom in a MacBook? "Some months later," or "many months later" than it's appearance on a MacBook Pro? Why not sooner? Just to differentiate the product lines? I thought Merom would replace Yonah in general. I read one report suggesting Merom would be introduced at the same time as the Conroe official introduction near the end of this month.
BTW, Hannibal posted his opinion of Core 2 Duo on Ars, along with his opinion of most other reviewers:
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060714-7267.html
BTW, Hannibal posted his opinion of Core 2 Duo on Ars, along with his opinion of most other reviewers:
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060714-7267.html
iMeowbot
Sep 14, 11:14 AM
Just checked again. It does appear that laptops are ready to go on 9-22, 9-25, and 9-27, depending on which model and size. Still, that gives Apple some "breathing room" to release theirs.
Well... there is a backlog now, but Merom Dell notebooks are already shipping (http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=77155).
Well... there is a backlog now, but Merom Dell notebooks are already shipping (http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=77155).
deakinng
Apr 22, 02:06 AM
i don't understand, is like end up we have to use more data and pay more, and not convenience for iPod touch user who only got wifi, what so good about this?:confused::confused::confused::confused:
BornAgainMac
Sep 15, 05:48 PM
I thought 10 Mega Pixels were possible with some tech that is suppose to arrive at the end of this year for phones.
I wonder if the new phone was like the original iPod Shuffle. You wear it around your neck. That would be funny. I would like the Star Trek Next Generation phone where you tap it on your chest to call people and it automatically goes into speaker phone. That was sort of like the shuffle concept with simple controls and no screen. Even works with iTunes.
I wonder if the new phone was like the original iPod Shuffle. You wear it around your neck. That would be funny. I would like the Star Trek Next Generation phone where you tap it on your chest to call people and it automatically goes into speaker phone. That was sort of like the shuffle concept with simple controls and no screen. Even works with iTunes.
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